Today’s Workout: Rowing move will strengthen upper body

Friday

Fitness doesn’t always mean gym time and dumbbells. It is physical movement anywhere you can, with whatever you’ve got.

It can be at home, outdoors, in the office, you name it. If you want fitness in your life, your options are endless.

Our move today is a wide row with a resistance band. You will need any kind of stretchy resistance band you can find, with or without handles, and a sturdy object to wrap it around, such as a tree, railing, pole or column.

This move will be working your upper and mid-back and your shoulders.

Begin this exercise by wrapping your resistance band around your fixed object, grasp each end of your band, and extend your arms out from your body, bending in the elbows and lifting your arms to shoulder level. Hold your chest tall and roll your shoulders back and down. Engage your midsection, and place your feet just outside of your hips for proper balance.

Proceed to pull your elbows backward, creating resistance in the band. Stop just past your torso or where you feel your deepest contraction. Keep your arms around shoulder level to get full motion of this exercise.

Once you reach your deepest pull, slowly release back to your starting position. Keep this movement slow and articulated for proper execution.Shoot for at least 10 repetitions, taking a small break in between, for at least three sets.

This move is not only good for you in your free time, it can also be applied to your fitness routine at the gym.

This move is great on its own or added into any upper body set focusing on your shoulders and back.

— Marlo Alleva, an instructor at Gold’s Gym and group fitness coordinator at Fontaine-Gills YMCA, can be reached at faluvzpa@msn.com.

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